Chapter 3: School Life at Ateneo
and the University of Sto. Tomas
Jose accompanied by Paciano went to
Manila on June 10,1872 to take exams
and enrolled in Ateneo Municipal
(Jesuit)
Ateneo Municipal was a rival of
Dominican owned college of San Juan
de Letran
Ateneo is open to everyone without
discrimination but screening of
applicants were strictly observed
Rizal in his Memorias de un estudiante
de Manila was almost denied because of
poor health and short structure
Ateneo was located in Intramuros,
within the walls of old Manila
First professor in Ateneo is Father Jose
Bech
2 empires were establish
1) Roman empire to stimulates students
2) Greek empire at war for supremacy
in class, successful if opponent
commits 3 mistakes
After a week Rizal becomes an
emperor being the brightest in the
class. He was awarded a saint’s picture
as his prize
Spent noon recess in Sta. Isabel
College where he spent 3pesos for
Spanish lesson
My First Inspiration
Expression of good wishes, endearing
filial affection to his mother’s birthday
Wrote in Ateneo
Leon Ma. Guerrero Jr.- translate the
poem from Spanish to English
Don Agustin Saez- teach painting and
drawing
Prized- winning pieces were “ To the
Filipino youth” (poem) and The
Council of God’s (an allegory)…parable
Wrote melodrama entitled “ Along the
Pasig” which was staged at Ateneo
auditorium on December 8, 1880
Through Education Our Motherland
Receives Light- Rizal’s poem on
education. Wrote when he was 15 years
old
The ultimate goal of education is the active
participant of the individual on the total
process of social interaction in the society
Dr. Frank C. Laubach- translate the poem
from Spanish to English
Father Francisco Sanchez- Rizal call him a
great educator and scholar
To the Filipino Youth was written when
Rizal was 18 years old in University of Santo
Tomas
It is connected with literary contest
sponsored by Liceo Aristico-Literario, a
society of men interested in literature
and arts
Judges were impressed with Rizal’s
poem and awarded the first prize
A La Juventud Filipina ( To the
Filipino Youth) is an open and explicit
expression of love of country
Gives manifestation that the
Philippines is the “fatherland of the
Filipinos” and not the Spaniards who
were born in our country
Charles E. Derbyshire- translate the
poem from Spanish to English
Sculpture
Sculpture is the art of curving, molding
welding or producing works of art in three
dimensions
Rizal curved the image of Virgin Mary on
a piece of Philippine hardwood-
batikuling with a pocket-knife
Father Leonard- request Rizal to curved
image of Sacred Heart of Jesus
The image was placed at the dormitory
of Ateneo for almost 20 years
Government subsidized Ateneo from
municipal treasury
Students belong to wealthy group paid
a monthly fee of P2.00 and those who
are classified poor, nothing
Medical Studies at Sto. Tomas
Doña Teodora believed Jose had enough
education from Ateneo so she opposed
going back to Manila for further studies
but Don Francisco thought otherwise
June 1877- Rizal was enrolled in
University of Sto. Tomas taking first
course of philosophy
16 years old Rizal take Phlosophy and
Letters in Sto. Tomas (Dominican)
Rizal study medicine to become
physician to look at her mother’s failing
eyesight
Father Pablo Ramon- recommended
medical course
El Filibusterismo- Rizal describe how
some Dominicans insulted Filipino
students and called them Indio
University of Sto. Tomas- the oldest
university in the Philippines
Segundiwa Katigbak- 14 year old,
Rizal’s first love, boarder at La
Concordia College, engaged to another
young man
Leonor Rivera- daughter of Antonio
Rivera, his uncle, Rizal’s sweetheart for
11 years
The Council of the Gods
Allegory in prose
El Consejo delos Dioses
Another literary contest sponsored by
Liceo Artistico-Literario (Artistic-Literary
Lyceum)
In connection with 4th centennial
commemoration of death of Miguel de
Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes- Spanish novelist
and famous author of Don Quixote
(person inspired by lofty and
chivalrous but impractical ideas)
Rizal won the first prize- gold ring
which bust of Cervantes was engraved
